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Canyon's Smart Bike Computer puts Android Wear on your handlebars
When you're cycling up a steep incline, hunched over the handlebars and desperately willing your legs to keep going, you don't want to be messing around with your phone or a second-rate cycling computer. Bike manufacturer Canyon has teamed up with Sony to find a solution -- and the fruits of their labor is the Smart Bike Computer. It runs on Android Wear, so the 1.6-inch touchscreen can display a bunch of popular cycling apps including Strava and Google Maps. The small, waterproof unit slides directly into the stem, ensuring the sleek stylings of your ride aren't ruined, and can connect to your phone over Bluetooth. In addition, it boasts up to 8 hours of battery life, built-in GPS and 4GB of internal storage, so you can leave your handset at home and still use some of its essential features.
Buick and GMC vehicles will support Android Auto and CarPlay
If you prefer to drive big honking Buick sedans and GMC trucks, you won't have to give up a phone-savvy infotainment system for the privilege. Both Apple's CarPlay and Google's Android Auto are coming to the Buick and GMC lineups, starting with the 2016 model year. CarPlay will arrive first, beginning with Buick's LaCrosse and Regal as well as GMC's Canyon, Sierra and Yukon. The Android option will show up some time later in the model year. Between this and similar moves from Cadillac and Chevy, you won't have to be fussy about your choice of cars or smartphones -- so long as you like GM's brands in the first place, you'll be taken care of.
Google Trekker goes to the Grand Canyon, takes Street View souvenirs back home
You might remember Google's unveiling this spring of the Street View Trekker, a seeming cross between a backpack and Van de Graaff generator that lets the mapping team produce 360-degree imagery where even trikes dare not tread. The portable camera ball is just going on its first trip, and Google has chosen the most natural destination for a novice tourist -- the Grand Canyon, of course. Staffers with Trekkers are currently walking trails along the South Rim of the canyon to provide both eye-level points of reference for wayward hikers as well as some breathtaking, controllable panoramas for those who can't (or won't) make it to Arizona. Once the photos make it to Street View sometime in the undefined near future, it'll be that much easier to turn down Aunt Matilda's 3-hour vacation slideshow.
Need for Speed: Carbon first details
Some of the first details on the upcoming Need for Speed: Carbon have made their way to your eager eyes, by way of the latest issue of Game Informer magazine. Being billed as half NFS: Underground and half NFS: Most Wanted, the game will feature police chases along with the customization system that existed in the Underground titles. The single-player experience will be new, however, as the player is now charged with taking over territories. Three different maps will have players racing for command over seven different territories within each map.Another new addition to the formula is Canyon Racing. In these races, the track is narrow and you must fight for track with other competitors, racing along huge drop offs that present the danger of a long fall followed by fiery demise. There is also a team-based mode in the works for the game, but no details have been revealed on that as of this time.
